Batman is a George Bush type of fascist. Over-privileged youth living in his father’s shadow, uses position of power to exact personal revenge, uses a veil of morality to mask this; “Sometimes you have to bend the rules to do good” etc., uses power and influence to prop up cronies who will support his bending the rules (Gordon).Has an entire tech division.. billions of dollars worth of equipment and ninja training, primarily to beat the shit out of muggers.

Bane is a typical Hitler or Stalin “ironman”. It’s not even subtle, the whole “All animals are equal, but some are more equal, out of the frying pan into the fire” deal is laid on pretty thick. Disenfranchised, unsuccessful in his youth. Plays on the plight and suffering of the proletariat as a means for personal gain. Says a lot of things that sound good “on paper”, but in practice don’t work out to well. Power to the people, when reality the power is concentrated in his hands etc.

Ed – Fascism is a specific type of government and social ideology – how is Batman fascist? (Bane does demonstrate elements of it, but doesn’t really have a coherent political ideology – he just wants to destroy.)

Ed

But what about The Joker?
(Insurrectionary)Anarcho-(moral)Nihilist

Seriously Ed I think that’s an overinterpretation of the film.
I was just playing around lol. You think I was over interpreting? Googled “Joker+Anarchist” to get a better feel of what form of anarchism would be closest to Jokers mindset.. 4 page debate on the subject.

Ed

Bane does demonstrate elements of it, but doesn’t really have a coherent political ideology – he just wants to destroy
Dude, Bane does everything but quote from the communist manifesto.

how is Batman fascistYou’d be surprised how into this type of discussion comic book fans are.
I’d say many super heroes have fascist tendencies, not just batman.
“The stories show that, when confronted with genuine evil, democratic institutions and the due process of law always fail … This embodies the vigilante tradition, in which redeemer figures who often wear the white robes of the book of revelation rid the community of its ostensible enemies.”

Dood, read the comics. Anarky is the stock anarchist for the Batman mythos. Trying to apply rationality to the Joker is like trying to apply rationality to a Zen koan, instead of the sound of one hand clapping, it’s the sound of a whoopy cushion filled with nerve gas.

Chris_T_T

Dude, Bane does everything but quote from the communist manifesto.

A. Fascism opposes communism (even if they’re difficult to distinguish in practice).
B. Bane says a lot of things, but his only real aim is destroying Gotham.

Batman is a violent, maladjusted sociopath who uses his parents death (and his position of power) as an excuse to work out his aggression.

Again, how does this make Batman fascist?

You might want to note that Batman only catches criminals while turning them over to the police for due process. More of a citizen’s arrest than vigilantism.

http://entitledtoanopinion.wordpress.com TGGP

Some lefties argue that the movie was actually more aristocratic than fascist. Batman is not trying to lead a mass movement. I can’t give an opinion because I haven’t seen it.

Ed

A. Fascism opposes communism (even if they’re difficult to distinguish in practice).
B. Bane says a lot of things, but his only real aim is destroying Gotham.
Different means to the same end, same shit different toilet. Maybe “tyrant” is a better word if you insist on being tied up on strict definitions.

Again, how does this make Batman fascist?
You might want to note that Batman only catches criminals while turning them over to the police for due process. More of a citizen’s arrest than vigilantism.
A vigilante is someone who takes the law into his own hands. Batman is a vigilante, like most super heroes. What Batman does is illegal in the real world (unless Gotham was in the Texas maybe)

Dood, read the comics. Anarky is the stock anarchist for the Batman mythos. Trying to apply rationality to the Joker is like trying to apply rationality to a Zen koan, instead of the sound of one hand clapping, it’s the sound of a whoopy cushion filled with nerve gas.
The way Heath Ledger played him is pretty close to a revolutionary nihilist anarchist sociopath IMO. Never got much into any of the DC comics

http://du-cote-de-chez-elysia-chlorotica.blogspot.ch/ Hans

# 5 you said:

You think I was over interpreting?

No I just thing there’s a lot of overinterpretations about a lot of films or even TV shows. the Dark Trilogy is only one example among many others! 😉

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About Razib Khan

I have degrees in biology and biochemistry, a passion for genetics, history, and philosophy, and shrimp is my favorite food. In relation to nationality I'm a American Northwesterner, in politics I'm a reactionary, and as for religion I have none (I'm an atheist). If you want to know more, see the links at http://www.razib.com